NFC champion San Francisco captured
its third Super Bowl of the 1980s by defeating AFC champion Cincinnati
20-16.

The 49ers, who also won Super Bowls XVI and XIX, became the first NFC
team to win three Super Bowls. Pittsburgh, with four Super Bowl titles
(IX, X, XIII, and XIV), and the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, with three
(XI, XV, and XVIII), lead AFC franchises.

Even though San Francisco held an advantage in total net yards (453 to
229), the 49ers found themselves trailing the Bengals late in the game.
With the score 13-13, Cincinnati took a 16-13 lead on Jim Breech's 40-yard
field goal with 3:20 remaining. It was Breech's third field goal of the
day, following earlier successes from 34 and 43 yards.

The 49ers started their winning drive at their 8-yard line. Over the
next 11 plays, San Francisco covered 92 yards with the decisive score
coming on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Joe Montana to wide receiver
John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining.

At halftime, the score was 3-3, the first time in Super Bowl history
the game was tied at intermission.

After the teams traded third-period field goals, the Bengals jumped
ahead 13-6 on Stanford Jennings's 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown
with 34 seconds remaining in the quarter.

The 49ers didn't waste any time coming back as they covered 85 yards in
four plays, concluding with Montana's 14-yard scoring pass to Jerry Rice
57 seconds into the final stanza.

Rice was named the game's most valuable player after compiling 11
catches for a Super Bowl-record 215 yards. Montana completed 23 of 36
passes for a Super Bowl-record 357 yards and two touchdowns.